


Shiny and Bright

by 221BJen (jcoz1701)



Series: Fuel and Fire [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Christmas, M/M, fast and the furious au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-05 11:46:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16809958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jcoz1701/pseuds/221BJen
Summary: Part of the MissDavis 2018 Advent Challenge. More scenes from the Give Me Fuel, Give Me Fire universe :)





	1. Holiday Decor

**Author's Note:**

> I'm looking forward to playing in this universe again.
> 
> As always, thank you to Callie4180 for the super quick beta. Go read her contribution to the Advent Challenge!

“What the hell is that?”

Steve knew, without looking, exactly what Bucky was referring to. He shrugged.

“It’s tradition.” 

There was silence from the other side of the car while Bucky turned that over. It was something that Steve loved about him, the way that he thought things through. Not that he’d ever say that out loud. It was way too soon.

“Your mom?” 

Steve nodded. He knew it was a little silly but it was something that had always found its way to his mom’s rearview mirror on December first and been put away with the other decorations after the first of the year. “It’s not hers. That one went with her.” He was proud of himself for being able to say it out loud. That was all Bucky. “She loved Christmas.”

The silver snowflake spun when Bucky touched it with a careful finger, catching the light of the streetlights. “I’ll bet.”

\--

It was a few days later, after he’d stayed the night at Bucky’s, that the snowflake acquired a companion. A shiny red star hung from the rearview mirror, glinting in the sunlight.


	2. Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Star prompt :)

“I never thought I’d ever say it, but there’s one thing that I don’t like about living in the city.” Bucky had parked down the street from Toretto’s and was leaning forward to look up into the winter sky.

“What’s that?” Steve glanced out the window but he didn’t see anything but the usual hazy night sky. The streetlights shone against the hood of the Chevelle, lending silver sparks of light to the evening. Bucky was looking at him and while Steve was quickly learning his moods and expressions, he couldn’t quite put his finger on the current one. 

“I miss the stars.” Bucky continued, his eyes drawn skyward again. “I mean, have you ever seen the way the stars look stretched out across the desert?” Steve held his breath, hoping that Bucky would keep talking. He hardly ever talked about his time in the military and Steve wanted to know everything he could about him.

“I mean,” he went on, “it’s nothing like home. It’s-”

“Magical?” Steve blurted it out before he could stop himself. He felt his ears burn when Bucky’s eyes met his again but there was a smile there.

“Exactly.” Bucky reached across the space between them and traced a finger slowly down the line of Steve’s jaw. It was surprisingly tender and sweet, leading Steve one step closer to what he thought they both wanted. They weren’t there yet, but they were on the same path.

The moment was broken when Bucky smirked and leaned forward to kiss him, gentle at first but moving quickly to hot and messy enough to leave them both panting. 

“That was pretty magical too,” Steve said and Bucky laughed, full and with a kind of happiness that Steve wanted to hear every day.

“Yeah it was.” Bucky smoothed Steve’s hair down where his fingers had mussed it up, pressing a final kiss to his cheek. “But I still miss the stars.”


	3. You Better Watch Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has an overdue conversation with Natasha.

Steve should have been expecting it but somehow he was surprised when Clint muttered in passing, “You better watch out, Nat’s looking for you.” 

Wanda smacked Clint with the back of her hand. “Don’t be so dramatic.” She looked across the garage and her eyes widened. “Oh.” 

“Rogers.” Natasha stalked across the cement floor and jerked her head at him, expecting him to follow. Clint looked at him expectantly and Wanda made frantic shooing gestures in Natasha’s direction.

He followed Natasha toward the rollup doors and he could see Bucky stand up from behind his desk in the office, watching them go. He gave Steve a pointed look and Steve shrugged. Whatever was about to happen, he deserved it. He’d come a long way toward regaining Bucky’s trust, but Natasha’s would be much harder to win back.

She walked straight over to her Hemi-cuda. “Get in.” He had no other choice than to obey, scrambling around to the other side and doing as he was told. The car started with a roar and she pulled out of the lot with only a slight bark of the tires. 

They rode in silence for a few minutes, Natasha concentrating on the road in front of them and Steve with his hands clasped in his lap, waiting for his fate. They made a few turns before she pulled over, expertly parallel parking in front of a tea shop. She got out of the car and he hurried to follow.

The tiny old woman behind the counter came forward, presenting her cheek to be kissed. Natasha obliged her, kissing both cheeks in turn. Steve stood next to both of them, feeling like he didn’t belong. The old woman spoke a few words to Natasha in Russian and then they both turned to give him an unimpressed look. 

“Come.” The old woman led them toward the back of the shop and waved them to a small table that had definitely not been made with Steve in mind. He sat and tried to make himself as small as possible. 

Natasha said something to the woman that he supposed was their order, and the old woman disappeared. “So.” She leaned back in her chair, looking him over. “It is time.”

“Time for what?” It was the first words he’d said since leaving the garage. Natasha kept her gaze steady on him, but he thought there was a tiny twitch to the corner of her lips.

“I talk to you, you talk to me, and we come to an agreement.” It was the shovel talk. He should have known. 

“Sounds good?” The old woman appeared and Natasha gave her a bright smile, thanking her for the two cups of tea and the small jar of jam that she left on the table. The tea was dark and smelled slightly bitter. Natasha took her spoon and scooped a small portion of the jam right into her tea, giving it a stir. 

Steve hesitantly did the same. 

“You lied.” She wasn’t pulling any punches. “You never do that again.”

“Of course I-”

“You hurt him.” She picked up the tea cup and blew across it before taking a small sip. “You never do that again.”

“Natasha, I-” 

“In return, I will tell you a secret.”

Steve blinked at her. “A secret?”

Another slow sip. “Yes. Do you agree?”

He nodded and she gave him a look. “I agree. I promise. I won’t ever do that again.” She seemed satisfied and put her tea cup down and looked around the empty shop as if she were looking for spies to pop out of the woodwork. Steve found himself leaning forward as well.

“The secret is that under the hair and the metal arm and the scowl, Bucky Barnes is a giant softie.”

Steve couldn’t help himself. He snorted. “That’s not a secret.” She glared at him. “Sorry. Go on.”

She took a pointed sip of tea before speaking again. “What I was going to say is, Bucky loves Christmas. Which means,” she leaned forward again, “don’t halfass it.”

“I wouldn’t do that anyway.” Her face was skeptical and he felt comfortable enough to smile at her now that he was reasonably sure she was going to leave him in a ditch. “I love Christmas and I lo- I really like Bucky. Don’t worry.”

“I would never.” Natasha didn’t try to hide her grin. “Now drink your damn tea, Steve.”


	4. Snowman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is what you call winging it. Hope you enjoy :)

Steve looked at himself in the mirror, smoothing down his sweater. It wasn’t supposed to look good but he knew that this color blue was flattering on him. His mom  _ and _ Sam had each assured him of that more than once. And he knew that Bucky would like the giant snowman on front. At least enough to laugh his ass off at him.

Steve was beginning to realize that there was even more to his found family than he had ever realized. The garage was well known in the neighborhood for fair prices on car repairs and even some basic home repairs. Steve also suspected that Bucky or Natasha was also responsible for some subtle intimidation of lazy building supers but that was neither here nor there. But of the most immediate concern was the bizarre fact that the garage held an annual neighborhood ugly sweater fundraiser and toy collection for the local VA. 

He tugged at the hem of the sweater once more and then walked out to the living room. It took a second for Bucky to realize he was standing there but when he did, it was worth every itchy second of wearing that monstrosity of a sweater. Bucky barked out a laugh of pure joy and delight, and Steve wanted to hear him laugh like that everyday.

They’d come so far from that awful time of finding each other and losing each other and then cautiously coming back together again. It had been worth it, all of it. Bucky was kind and thoughtful and Steve’s mom would have loved him.

“Turn around, sweetheart, let me see all of it.” 

Steve rolled his eyes but obliged. Bucky rose from the sofa and walked over to him, grinning the entire time. He looked Steve up and down, and Steve’s embarrassment was quickly fading due to the amount of sheer fondness in Bucky’s eyes.

It wasn’t like Steve was the only one dressed like that. Bucky was wearing a t-shirt printed in a Christmas sweater version of the Tardis because he was a closet nerd and the arm didn’t play well with knits. 

They were going to the street market where Clint had managed to get them some booth space to advertise and collect donations. They’d closed down the garage early for the day and it was basically going to be a block party for a good cause.

Bucky hooked a finger in Steve’s belt loop and pulled him closer. “You really do look great.”

“Sure I do. You just look like a dork.” He poked Bucky right in the Tardis. “My dork.”

“Yep. All yours.” 

They hadn’t really talked about what they were doing. Defined the relationship, as Sam would say. Steve hadn’t wanted to bring it up, not wanting to push, but he had the feeling that they were on the same page. 

They had plenty of time to figure it out.


	5. Believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Believe. 
> 
> This one is a little silly but just so we're clear, I'm totally with Bucky and Steve on this one. Sorry, Sam.

“You don’t really believe that.” 

“You’re telling me you don’t?”

“Of course not! It’s ridiculous!”

“Die Hard is a totally a Christmas movie!”

“Nope.”

“Yes it is! It’s like saying Gremlins isn’t a Christmas movie.”

“...”

“You don’t like Gremlins either?!”

“Hold up. I like Gremlins. And Die Hard. They’re just not Christmas movies. They’re movies that  _ happen _ to take place during Christmas.”

“That makes them Christmas movies!”

“Does not!”

“Steve!”

Steve stuck his head out of the kitchen where he’d been hiding since the beginning of the great Die Hard debate. “Yeah?”

Bucky pointed at Sam accusingly. “Tell him he’s wrong!”

“He can’t choose sides!” Glaring at Bucky, Sam gestured at Steve with the remote. “He’ll choose your side!”

“Nah, Stevie’s fair. Right, sweetheart?” 

Sam groaned. “Breaking out the pet names?  _ Totally _ unfair.”

Steve finally decided to put an end to the bickering. “Sorry, Sam, I have to agree with Bucky.”

“Just because he-”

“Yes!”

“It’s tradition.” Steve snagged the remote away from Sam and took his spot on the sofa. “Remember, Sam. Even if you don’t believe in John McClane, he believes in you.”

“I hate you both.”


	6. Fireplace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: fireplace.

Steve had finally put up the small tree he had purchased the year before in a fit of nostalgia. He hadn’t really had a tree of his own since he’d moved out of his mom’s place. He was either too young to care or too busy with the academy to bother. And he didn’t really want a new tree, anyway; the  _ tradition _ had been to decorate the one that she’d had for years and years. It was worn and there were always some needles that found their way to the carpet, but she wouldn’t replace it. It was perfectly fine, she said, no need for a new one.

He’d just finished with the lights when Bucky arrived. They seemed to be spending more and more time at Steve’s place, and he wondered if it was because his apartment had more of a ‘lived in’ feel. Bucky’s place was nice but sparse, like it was just a place to keep his things.

“This looks nice.” Bucky’s grin as he took in the tree rivalled those lights, and Steve felt something click into place. He was glad that he’d taken Natasha’s advice to heart, that he could share this with...whatever Bucky was to him. 

“Just in time to put on the first ornament.” Steve had sorted through what decorations he had and handed over a fairly ratty reindeer made out of pipe cleaners. Bucky took it with a raised eyebrow, but Steve shook his head. “That is a Steve Rogers original. I made that thing in second grade.”

Bucky shook it, making the googly eyes wobble. “Fancy.” He looked at Steve and a look that Steve couldn’t quite read crossed his face. He quickly hung it on the tree and then walked back over to Steve, taking his face in both hands and leaning in for a quick kiss. “Hi. Forgot to do that when I came in.”

“Hi.” Steve was struck by how natural it all felt, falling into simple things like kisses hello and goodbye. Like an actual couple. He cleared his throat. “You want to help me finish this, or we could watch a movie or-”

Bucky chuckled and kissed him again, probably to stop his babbling. “This is fine. It’s fun, you know? I haven’t done this in a long time.”

They worked together, making quick work of Steve’s few decorations. The last thing in the box was a stocking. It was the one that he’d had for years, handknit by a close friend of his mom’s, and he wondered what a matching one for Bucky would cost him. If he could find someone to do it for him. Maybe Natasha knew someone or maybe Sam…

Bucky took the stocking out of his hands and he realized that he’d been holding it for a few seconds, lost in thought. “It’s too bad you don’t have a fireplace.” 

“Uh. Yeah.” Steve was still a little caught up in the idea of two stockings and what that would mean. 

“We had a fireplace at my folks’ house, where I grew up.” That was new. Bucky had barely mentioned family other than the crew at the garage. Steve knew that he didn’t just appear in Brooklyn in the middle of a garage, that he’d had a life before that. Before racing and daring crime in the name of justice. Before the military and what had happened to him there. Parents and a whole other family.

“Really?”

Bucky cut his eyes to Steve’s, like he was nervous. Or that he wasn’t used to sharing this much about himself. “I grew up in Indiana, did I ever tell you that?” Steve knew that Bucky was well aware that he hadn’t, but he didn’t say anything. “Moved here when I was about ten and never looked back. Mom and Dad moved back a few years ago and…” He broke off and Steve didn’t push. He was glad that Bucky trusted him with that much. “Well, it’s been a while.” 

Steve took the stocking from Bucky and put it aside, wrapping his arms around his  _ whatever _ and holding him tight. “You want some hot chocolate? Or something with some booze in it?”

“Hot chocolate can have booze in it.”

Steve laughed and kissed Bucky’s cheek. “Sure it can. Let’s go see what I’ve got that goes with hot chocolate.” Bucky headed toward the kitchen and Steve watched him go. Now he wished that they had a fireplace to hang their stockings by, too. 


	7. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting caught up! WHEEEEEE
> 
> Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own.

“Sometimes it’s like it never happened, you know?” They had somehow decided that lying on the floor was the best way to look at the tree and the boozy hot chocolate had apparently gone to Bucky’s head. Or at least that’s what Steve thought. Maybe Bucky was just in a sharing mood.

“What do you mean?” Steve had also had enough to poke holes in his usual filter. He turned so that he could see Bucky better.

Bucky rolled his head to side to meet his eyes. “I forget. Just for a second, it’s like I’m reaching out and it’s my old arm.” He held up his hand and it glinted in the lights from the tree. It was beautiful and terrible all at the same time. “But then I remember and- I don’t know.” He touched Steve’s bottom lip with the tip of a silver finger. “I don’t even know what I’m trying to say.”

Steve pressed a kiss to that fingertip. “That’s okay.”

“It’s not. Not really.” Bucky’s face was more contemplation than sadness so Steve’s filter failed him again.

“Those memories. They come and go but this,” he took Bucky’s left hand and held it to his chest, knowing that Bucky couldn’t feel anything more than pressure, but that meant nothing to him at the moment. “This means that you survived. You lived. And I-” Steve’s filter kicked back in at the last second. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

Bucky stared at him for a moment and then kissed him, tasting of chocolate. “I’m glad I’m here, too.”


	8. Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own.

“I love this song.” Steve had offered to give Wanda a ride to pick up some last minute things for dinner and she was scrolling through the music on his phone. 

“Which one?” He got his answer a few seconds later when the first notes of ‘Tiny Dancer’ filtered through the speakers. He grinned as Wanda started to sing it under her breath and joined in on the chorus.

_ Hold me closer tiny dancer _

_ Count the headlights on the highway _

Wanda snickered at him and he shook his head. “Yeah, yeah, I know I’m terrible.”

“Bucky said as much but now I have proof.” 

“Wait. When did he-” He broke off, remembering exactly when Bucky had heard him sing. He’d stayed over and Steve had jumped in the shower to get ready for work after a very nice round of morning sex. He’d known Bucky was there, throwing together a quick breakfast, and he’d been happy. Happy enough to sing in the shower. “Oh.”

Wanda’s grin got even wider at his blush. “Don’t worry. He thought it was cute.” 

“He did?” Steve winced and pulled into a parking space. “Please forget I said that.” 

“Steve.” Laying a hand on his arm, she stopped him from getting out of the car. “I’ve never seen him this happy. You did that, bad singing and all.” She hesitated, as she wasn’t sure if she should say anything else. “He really, really likes you. You have to know that.”

Steve suddenly wanted to tell her, to tell someone about how he felt. But he’d just gotten back into their good graces and it was too soon and there were a million other reasons he shouldn’t say it out loud but- But it was almost too big to keep in any longer. Almost. “I really like him an awful lot, too.”

“Good.” Wanda patted his arm. “Now let’s go get what’s on this list.”


	9. Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caught up! Whew!
> 
> Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own.

A week and a half into December and Steve suddenly realized that he had no idea what to get Bucky for Christmas. And he had no idea who to go to for help. There were pros and cons to all of his choices.

Natasha was an obvious pick and she would probably give him some tips, but she would make fun of him for days.

Clint would probably tell him to get him a part for the Chevelle and that really wasn’t he was looking for.

Sam would normally be a good choice but he and Bucky had some sort of antagonistic pseudo-friendship thing going on and Steve couldn’t trust his advice.

Wanda? Maybe she could help. 

He found himself at the shop during a rare time that Bucky was out and decided it was as good a time as any to ask. But Wanda wasn’t at the front as usual. In her place, with his dirty Converse on the desk, was Pietro. Steve still didn’t know him very well and he wasn’t sure if it was because of everything that had happened or if Pietro was just a little standoffish. He seemed more than willing to talk about anything car-related but other than that, Steve had no idea.

Pietro seemed friendly enough when he saw it was Steve coming in through the door and raised a hand in greeting. “Heya, Steve. You looking for Bucky?”

“I was actually looking for Wanda. She out?” Steve suddenly felt like he was going behind Bucky’s back, which technically he was, but it was for a good reason.

Pietro sat up and gave him a searching look, almost suspicious. “She ran to get some lunch for everyone. Everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s, uh.” Steve looked at Pietro’s narrowed eyes and thought  _ what the hell, why not?  _ “Look, I’m trying to figure out what to get Bucky for Christmas and I thought she might have some ideas.”

Pietro’s demeanor immediately changed from suspicious to friendly again. “Oh. That’s easy.” 

“It is?” 

Pietro gave him a quick grin and then scribbled something on a piece of paper. “Go here.”

Steve looked at the scratched out name and address and recognized it as a small bookstore a few blocks over. “And what am I getting him when I get there?”

Leaning forward, Pietro rested his elbows on the desk. He looked smug. “First edition of  _ Deathly Hallows _ .”

“Harry Potter?” Steve knew that Bucky had a lot of books, there were several bookshelves lining the wall of his small apartment but he’d never noticed anything that specific.

Pietro rolled his eyes. “Of course. He’s got all the other ones but he was out of the

country when that one came out.” He shrugged. “He just never got around to picking up a copy that matched the rest of the set.”

“That is...perfect.” Steve blinked at him, a little stunned. It was a great idea and it didn’t

surprise him at all that it was a favorite of Bucky’s. “Thanks.”

Pietro sat back in the chair and put his feet back up, looking pleased. “Any time. Just

don’t mess this up.” Steve gave him a questioning look. “You know what I mean.”

“I won’t.” Steve picked up the piece of paper with the address on it and folded it carefully to put it in his pocket. “I promise.” He turned to go and Pietro spoke up one more time before he made out of the door.

“Good.” He sounded just like his sister and Steve smiled to himself as he let himself out.


End file.
